SharonPly lights up the hearts of Olympic enthusiasts in Chennai

The Olympic fervour commenced with the inauguration ceremony of the Olympics on Thursday, 26th July 2024, in Paris. On the same day, a unique ceremony took place in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. SharonPly felicitated past Olympic medal winners, who have long been forgotten, through their “I AM STRONGEST AWARDS.”

The five Olympians honoured were Vasudevan Baskaran, Muneer Sait, Charles Cornelius, Victor John Phillips, and Krishnamurthy Perumal. At a vibrant and joyous function, each of them was presented with an award plaque and a gift cheque.

All awardees were dressed in special blazers, shirts, and ties made from recycled PET bottles, like the jacket worn by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi last year. This aligns with SharonPly’s extensive social work in environmental protection.

SharonPly, a leading plywood brand, is manufactured at India’s Largest Plywood Manufacturing Plant in Gummudipoondi near Chennai. Mr Vishnu Khemani, the founder of SharonPly, to whom these awards are particularly close to his heart, stated, “These awards celebrate the tenacity of character demonstrated through dedication, responsibility, and commitment. Over the last five years, they have recognised individuals from various fields of philanthropy, including medical assistance, food provision, animal welfare, and more.

I hope that our initiatives will inspire more individuals, businesses, and organisations to take up such causes and lend their support.”

Dr Justice M. Jaichandren, Former Judge of the High Court of Madras. Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India was the Chief Guest of the event.

Mr. N.S. Saravanan, Managing Director YENNES Infotec Pvt. Ltd. & Governor RI Dist 3234, Ms Anitha Pauldurai, Padma Shri Awardee in Basketball, Officer on Special Duty Southern Railways, Mr Antony Lobo, Hon. Consul of the Kingdom of Spain and Head of Consulate in Chennai and Mr. Krishnamurthy Vijayan, Independent Director of SBI Funds, International (IFSC) Ltd., Chairman, Industry Advisory Council, MIDC Govt. of Meghalaya, Independent Director, Aptus Value Housing Ltd. Were the Guests of hon Justice Jaichandren in his address added “Our hockey heroes, once celebrated for their remarkable achievements on the international stage, now languish in obscurity. These athletes who brought glory to our nation through their skill, dedication, and teamwork deserve better.

Sharon Ply’s initiative to felicitate these forgotten champions is commendable, shedding light on their contributions and current circumstances.

State and central governments must step up to acknowledge these sports icons. By recognizing their past accomplishments and current needs, we can inspire the next generation of athletes and other big Corporates can also do their bit to promote Hockey and bring back the lost glory.